Tea plants come from Southeast Asia. The plant Camellia sinensis has been cultivated by the Chinese for more than 2700 years. The Chinese certainly knew about the tea plant and its value for a long time and had discovered that the decoction and infusion of the leaves produced a very pleasant drink, if processed carefully. The leaves of the tea plant were first used for their medicinal properties and later as a morning drink.

As tea is the second most popular beverage in the world after water, in many cultures it is also consumed at high social events, such as afternoon tea and tea parties.

The tea plant Camellia sinensis contains several biologically active polyphenols including catechins. Green tea consumption has been shown to alleviate cardiovascular dysfunction by reducing total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. It also reduces blood pressure and mortality from heart attack in clinical studies and in several animal studies. Green tea also helps in weight loss.

Tea should be consumed with caution as it contains caffeine, traces of fluoride and oxalic acid in its leaves.